Belonging to a Crucified Community

Scripture Reading

(Galatians 2:11-21 Translation by N.T. Wright)

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I stood up to him face-to-face. He was in the wrong. Before certain person came from James, Peter was eating with the gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcision people. The rest of the Jews did the same, joining him in this playacting. Even Barnabas was carried along by their sham. But when I saw that they weren’t walking straight down the line of the gospel truth, I said to Cephas in from of them all: “Look here: you’re a Jew, but you’ve been living like a gentile. How can you force gentiles to become Jews?”

We are Jews by birth, not “gentile sinners” But we know that a person is declared “righteous” by works of the Jewish law, but through faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah.

That is why we too believe in the Messiah, Jesus: so that we might be declared “righteous” on the basis of the Messiah’s faithfulness, and not on the basis of works of the Jewish law. On that basis, you see, no creature will be declared “righteous.”

Well, then: if, in seeking to be declared “righteous” in the Messiah, we ourselves are found to be “sinners,” does that make the Messiah an agent of “sin”? Certainly not! If I build up once more the things that I tore down, I demonstrate that I am a lawbreaker.

Let me explain it like this. Through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with the Messiah. I am, however, alive - but it isn’t me any longer, it’s the Messiah who lives in me. And the life I do still live in the flesh, I live within the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I don’t set aside God’s grace. If “righteousness” comes through the law, then the Messiah died for nothing.

Opening Sermon Prayer

Father God, guide my words to be as straight as a flying arrow, designed to pierce its target. Leaving a mark that cannot be removed or wiped away. May you make this 2,000 year old letter be more alive to us than we are today. I pray this in name of Jesus, amen.

Introduction - The hypocrisy of Peter and why its problematic

Now if you ever thought this congregation had serious issues, imagine yourself witnessing Paul foaming at the lips, chewing out Peter because of his hypocrisy. Paul thinks there is nothing cute about the situation. Peter’s behavior has been influenced by rival teachers that came to Jerusalem. Now everyone who is Jewish is distancing themselves from Gentiles. Escalating a new tension and issue - possible the separation of Jewish and Gentiles Christians sharing table fellowship.

So what’s causing the problem? The rival Jewish teachers are teaching that in order to be righteous and belong to the community of God. Everyone must continue practicing Torah - circumcision, strict diary laws, sabbath day observance. Since these Gentiles have come to Christ, they haven’t conformed to the Jewish way of life, so the proper response is to retract from them and form separate communities who follow Jesus. This is creating a internal division in the local church and Paul confronts Peter saying that he is not following the truth of the gospel because his message is teaching that to be part of God’s family you must have Jesus plus something.

Whenever you introduce the gospel message with Jesus plus something, your message will eventually lead to church split because its not a message of grace. The simple gospel is only Jesus plus nothing.

That is why Paul reflects on what are the key ingredients of a Christian community. The question we ask is Christian community all about having Jesus and keeping with the old Jewish marker such as Torah keeping or is it about something else?

Solution - The new markers of righteousness

The solution is not in a maintaining practice, but dying with a person.

Formerly, the Jews knew they were the family of God by holding fast to the Torah. Yet Paul switches the conversation into a different direction. You are not righteous, by keeping the Law, but by the faithfulness of Christ. By Jesus perfect life, everyone who joined to the Messiah are made righteous. Those people belong to God. So what do you need to be part of the family?

What is essential on belonging to the family of God is found in writing in Galatians 2:19-20.

Through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with the Messiah. I am, however, alive - but it isn’t me any longer, it’s the Messiah who lives in me. And the life I do still live in the flesh, I live within the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

See the similarities between Paul here in Romans 6:2-11

Romans 6:2–11 ESV

2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

How do we bring a divided Christian community together? By remembering we're a community of crucified believers united to Jesus.

The beauty is the gospel crucifies our old identity through our union with Christ. What is left is a new life in God. Which was gift of Jesus' outpouring of his love for us. This love given by grace compels you and I to share table fellowship with those who are different outwardly but inwardly share the same identity as you and me. The truth every baptized believer shares the same identity together, hence we belong to a crucified community.

All crucified believers belong together.

Now for Paul, Jews and Gentiles can eat together. For you as a baptized Christian you are to do life together as one community.

What should does this community do when together?

Philippians 2:1–5 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

A cruciform community shares all things and lives as one family. So the invitation is this: know your church family and do life together with them and continue to love your Savior as he loved you by hanging on a tree.

For those who haven’t committed to Jesus yet, let me invite you to come and follow him. He cares about you and desires you experience love and joy. If you’re ready to follow him, I would love point you in the right direction.